


Osiris

by lodessa



Category: Firefly, Jossverse, Serenity (2005)
Genre: F/M, Memories, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-13
Updated: 2006-04-13
Packaged: 2017-10-10 01:51:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/93900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lodessa/pseuds/lodessa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River remembers the time she visited Simon at school shortly before she went away, away to… that place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Osiris

**Author's Note:**

> Sub-textually incestuous.

Lying in Serenity's infirmary, watching Simon go about his business, River remembers the time she visited Simon at school shortly before she went away, away to… that place. She had thought maybe he'd be different somehow, changed and a stranger, but he was still her Simon. She could see that the moment she stepped off the ship and saw him waiting for her. He was still her Simon.

Other brothers, River knew, didn't want their little sisters to come to Osiris and break up the life that they liked to pretend was grownup. Simon couldn't have been happier though; he hardly let go of River from the time she arrived to when she was had to leave to go home. His classmates kept asking him why he was so happy suddenly, if he'd gotten himself a new girl or something. Many of them gave pointed looks in River's direction. Simon didn't seem to mind River being there at all. River told him he didn't have to change his normal routine for her, they could just do whatever he usually did, but Simon didn't want to go out with other people (except the once to show her off to everyone).Instead, Simon said he wanted to be alone with River and not waste their time on inconsequential people. Simon told River that the only thing he missed about home was her. Their parents, the senior Tams, waved to make sure that Simon wasn't neglecting River. They didn't understand that he had wanted her to come; they thought it had been merely a whim of their daughter's.

River remembers the one night they did go out, Simon glowing as his friends laughed at River's jokes. River remembers a dark haired girl, one that was probably about Simon's age, long dark hair and skin so white it was almost transparent. The girl had the look of a dancer and the look she gave Simon implied that she wanted and expected his attention. Simon was busy paying attention to the card game that River was winning. The girl got an angry look in her eye, a look meant to pierce through Simon, through River. River looked at the girl and her gaze drew the attention of one of Simon's friends.

"Lethe!" the friend called to the girl; his eyes were empty; they reminded River of a trout.

Lethe pretended she hadn't seen them before and headed to their table. She greeted everyone, casting Simon a special smile, which he either didn't notice or ignored. River thought others might think he was ignoring Lethe, but he was her Simon and she knew he wasn't ignoring the girl intentionally. Lethe looked like she wanted to squeeze between Simon and River, but there was no space, so she settled for the other side of Simon, long limbs beautifully displayed.

Lethe's demeanor temporarily brightened when she learned that River was Simon's sister, but the smile quickly lost its glow as her suggestion about dancing was met with Simon's inviting River to the floor with them. She smiled wider at River, speaking to her with a condescending tone one might use with a five year old, and River knew right then that Lethe would always hate her, so long as she was River and Simon was Simon. Lethe didn't know that, though. She thought that it was a matter of words and smiles, something superficial and easily resolved. She didn't understand that he was River's Simon always and forever. He was wasn't he?

Just then, one of Simon's friends, the one with the grayish eyes like trout, grabbed a hold of River, pulling her away from Simon. It was like the dance floor was an ocean, swallowing her up. Heat and bodies and lights sparkling through her toes made River's brain spin. The trout eyed boy grinned at River and pulled her against him. River managed to lock her eyes on a pillar, something not moving, and was able to find the solid ground again, despite the off-beat movements of the trout eyed boy. River tried to lead him back to the rhythm but it was hopeless. The bodies crushed around her in a sticky heat and Simon was nowhere to be seen. The trout eyed boy kept pressing closer and River retreated until the wall was against her back and there was nowhere to go. Her eyes darted around frantically, looking for an escape but his face loomed closer and closer. His mouth was sloppy and wet and his tongue pushed her lips apart and her whole being screamed no and she bit down.

"Gorram crazy bitch!" the trout eyed boy shouted, backing away from her and, unfortunately for him, into a furious looking Simon, Lethe trailing far enough behind to indicate that Simon had rushed to them.

"What kind of a way is that to talk to my sister?" Simon demanded, teeth gritted, grabbing the boy by the collar of his shirt.

"She… she…"

"…Didn't enjoy being preyed upon. Get out of my sight before I do something that keeps both of us from finishing med school."

Simon's whole body was taut; if looks could kill his would have. The boy slowly backed away and the moment he was out of sight Simon's posture shifted to one of loving concern as he turned to River, "Mei mei, are you okay?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"He couldn't dance." River replied quietly. She didn't want to cause a disturbance, didn't want to ruin Simon's evening.

"River…" Simon sighed, stretching out his arms for her to come and be enfolded by them, "I'm so sorry about him. I had no idea…"

Lethe hovered in the background, tried to be comforting, tried to show Simon how much care she could bestow on his beloved sister. Simon didn't seem to notice and dismissed her offers to go with them. River could see the rage in Lethe at how Simon didn't even see her as he guided River out of the club. Lethe was now sure that River ruined everything. Her face was almost past white as she pressed her long manicured fingers against Simon's shoulder and told him that if he, or River, needed anything that he should wave her. Simon didn't seem to notice the icicles sharp enough to slice in the way that Lethe said River's name. River considered how long Lethe would wait before she tried again when River was gone. She knew she would. She also knew that Lethe would make a misstep and try to turn Simon from his attachment to his sister. It wouldn't work… would it?

Lethe was left behind and River forgot her for the moment. Simon was apologizing profusely and it made River laugh. Back at Simon's apartment, River could still feel the stale taste of alcohol the trout eyed boy had left. Simon's body was curled around hers as they lay in front of the fireplace, an unnecessary extravagance enjoyed only in top of the line Core facilities like this Medical Academy. His breath was warm against her cheek and River turned so that they were face to face.

"I didn't mean to cause a scene, Simon." She said quietly.

"It's not your fault. I should never have let you out of my sight in the first place." Simon replied, pressing his forehead up against hers affectionately

"You should be able to go out and have fun with your friends and I ruined that." River insisted.

"I'd rather be here with you my beautiful, brilliant, crazy little sister. I don't care about all of them." He promised, kissing the top of her head and holding her close, "You'll always be the most important thing in the verse to me."

River remembers, remembers the way her body fit against his. She remembers the softness of his lips and the way he gazed at her like she was precious. He still looks at her with devotion, but it is different now; there's worry and pity, and most of all a sense that she's broken. The awe and wonder is not what it was on that trip, when they ordered room service for the last few days of the trip, never leaving one another's side. Simon begged her to go to school on Osiris with tears in his eyes. She laughed at him and called him a big baby. She refused.

River has never been anything other than strong willed, but perhaps, she thinks, perhaps she ought to have said yes.


End file.
